System and method of automatically modifying an online dating service search using compatibility feedback

Abstract

A system and method are directed towards automatically modifying an online dating service's search results based on a user's compatibility feedback. A user provides input to a series of questions that seek information regarding the user. The invention employs the input to identify a list of candidates for a potential long-term social relationship with the user. The invention may analyze the user's evaluation of the candidates for possible adjustments, by modifying the candidate list based on, for example, whether the user has contacted a candidate, a frequency of the user's contacts with a candidate, an order in which the user contacts candidates, and other compatibility feedback of the candidates by the user. Based on the user's compatibility feedback, the invention automatically adjusts the search rankings for the user's search results and updates the potential candidate list.

1 . A method for use in managing an online dating search, comprising: 
 determining a user's search criteria for a candidate for a dating relationship online;    performing a search for a list of candidates employing the search criteria;    ranking each candidate in the list of candidates;    determining compatibility feedback for at least one candidate in the ranked list of candidates; and    employing the compatibility feedback to automatically revise the ranking of the candidates in the list of candidates.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the compatibility feedback further comprises, determining if the user has contacted a candidate, determining a frequency of the user's contacts with a candidate, determining an order in which the user has contacted at least two candidates, and requesting the user to rate the at least one candidate.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining compatibility feedback further comprises, requesting the user to rate the at least one candidate further comprises at least one of requesting the user to provide a discrete value associated with the at least one candidate, and to employ at least one of a slider bar, a drop-down menu, and a button, to rate the at least one candidate.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein employing the compatibility feedback further comprises: 
 determining if a predetermined amount of compatibility feedback is available, and if the predetermined amount is unavailable, setting a compatibility feedback input factor to zero, such that the compatibility feedback provides minimum influence to the revised ranking of candidates.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein employing the compatibility feedback further comprises determining whether a predetermined amount of compatibility feedback is available.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein revising the ranking of the candidates further comprises: 
 determining a unified search score for each candidate, in part, by combining a weighted input factor associated with the compatibility feedback with at least one other weighted input factor; and    employing the unified search score to re-rank each candidate in the list of candidates.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one other weighted input factor further comprises a weighting value combined with at least one of an initial user test, an additional user test, a one-way search criteria input factor, a reverse search criteria input factor, an activity input factor, a distance input factor, an input factor reflecting the number of times the user has viewed this candidate's profile, an input factor reflecting the number of replies the candidate's profile has recently received, and an affinity input factor.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user employs a mobile device to communicate with the method of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       9 . A client device that is configured for use in communicating an online dating search, comprising: 
 a display;    a transceiver for receiving and sending information to another computing device;    a processor in communication with the display and the transceiver; and    a memory in communication with the processor and storing data and machine instructions that causes the processor to perform a plurality of operations, including: 
 providing a user's search criteria for a candidate;  
 enabling a search for a list of candidates employing the search criteria;  
 receiving a ranking of each candidate in the list of candidates;  
 providing compatibility feedback for at least one candidate in the ranked list of candidates; and  
 employing the compatibility feedback to revise the ranking of the candidates in the list of candidates.  
   
   
   
       10 . The client device of  claim 9 , wherein the client device further comprises a mobile device.  
   
   
       11 . The client device of  claim 9 , wherein providing the compatibility feedback further comprises, providing information about whether the user has contacted a candidate, providing information about a frequency of the user's contacts with a candidate, providing an order in which the user has contacted at least two candidates, and providing a user rating for the at least one candidate.  
   
   
       12 . The client device of  claim 11 , wherein providing the user rating for the at least one candidate further comprises at least one of requesting the user to provide a discrete value associated with the at least one candidate, and to employ at least one of a slider bar, a button, and a drop-down menu, to rate the at least one candidate.  
   
   
       13 . The client device of  claim 9 , wherein employing the compatibility feedback further comprises: 
 employing the compatibility feedback to determine a unified search score by combining a weighted input factor associated with the compatibility feedback with at least one other weighted input factor; and    employing the unified search score to re-rank the candidates in the list of candidates.    
   
   
       14 . The client device of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one other weighted input factor further comprises a weighting value combined with at least one of an initial user test, an additional user test, a one-way search criteria input factor, a reverse search criteria input factor, an activity input factor, a distance input factor, an input factor reflecting the number of times the user has viewed this candidate's profile, an input factor reflecting the number of replies the candidate's profile has recently received, and an affinity input factor.  
   
   
       15 . The client device of  claim 9 , wherein providing compatibility feedback further comprises employing a stored compatibility feedback to revise the ranking of the candidates in the list of candidates.  
   
   
       16 . A server that is configured for use in managing an online dating search, comprising: 
 a transceiver for receiving and sending information to another computing device;    a processor in communication with the transceiver; and    a memory in communication with the processor and storing data and machine instructions that cause the processor to perform a plurality of operations, including: 
 receiving a user's search criteria for a candidate;  
 performing a search for a list of candidates employing the search criteria;  
 providing a ranking of each candidate in the list of candidates;  
 receiving compatibility feedback for at least one candidate in the ranked list of candidates;  
 employing the compatibility feedback to revise the ranking of the candidates in the list of candidates; and  
 providing the revised ranking of the candidates in the list of candidates.  
   
   
   
       17 . The server of  claim 16 , wherein the other computing device is a mobile device employable by the user to communicate with the server.  
   
   
       18 . The server of  claim 16 , wherein revising the ranking of the candidates further comprises determining a unified search score by combining a weighted input factor associated with the compatibility feedback with at least one other weighted input factor; and employing the revised unified search score to re-rank the candidates in the list of candidates.  
   
   
       19 . The server of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one other weighted input factor further comprises a weighting value combined with at least one of an initial user test, an additional user test, a one-way search criteria input factor, a reverse search criteria input factor, an activity input factor, a distance input factor, an input factor reflecting the number of times the user has viewed this candidate's profile, an input factor reflecting the number of replies the candidate's profile has recently received, and an affinity input factor.  
   
   
       20 . The server of  claim 16 , wherein providing the revised ranking further comprises: 
 determining information associated with the user by at least one of requesting user information, and requesting the user to participate in at least one test;    determining a unified search score using, in part, the determined information; and    employing the unified search score to determined the revised ranking of each candidate.    
   
   
       21 . The server of  claim 20 , wherein the unified search score further comprises the compatibility feedback.  
   
   
       22 . A modulated data signal for managing an online dating search over a network, the modulated data signal comprising instructions that enable a computing device to perform the actions of: 
 sending, from a client device, a user's search criteria for a candidate;    enabling, at a server, a search for a list of candidates employing the search criteria;    presenting, at the client device, a ranking of each candidate in the list of candidates;    receiving, from the client device, user compatibility feedback for at least one candidate in the ranked list of candidates; and    employing the compatibility feedback to revise the ranking of the candidates in the list of candidates.    
   
   
       23 . The modulated data signal of  claim 22 , wherein the client device is a mobile device.  
   
   
       24 . The modulated data signal of  claim 22 , wherein employing the compatibility feedback further comprises: 
 employing the compatibility feedback to determine a unified search score; and    employing the unified search score to re-rank the candidates in the list of candidates.    
   
   
       25 . The modulated data signal of  claim 22 , further comprising, presenting to the client device not more than a predetermined number of candidates in the list of candidates.  
   
   
       26 . The modulated data signal of  claim 22 , wherein providing the list of candidates further comprises providing the list in a rank order based, in part, on a unified search score.  
   
   
       27 . An apparatus of managing an online dating search, comprising: 
 a means for determining a user's search criteria for a candidate;    a means for performing a search for a list of candidates employing the search criteria;    a means for presenting a ranking of each candidate in the list of candidates;    a means for determining compatibility feedback for at least one candidate in the ranked list of candidates; and    a means for employing the compatibility feedback to revise the ranking of the candidates in the list of candidates.